Santiago has 'a slight lead' in Army quarterback competition

WEST POINT — Angel Santiago and A.J. Schurr are running out of time to impress Army coaches in their battle for the starting quarterback job.

Sal Interdonato

WEST POINT — Angel Santiago and A.J. Schurr are running out of time to impress Army coaches in their battle for the starting quarterback job.

Offensive coordinator Ian Shields said the coaching staff would like to make a decision on a starter about, "10 days or so" before Army's season opener against Morgan State on Aug. 30.

That gives Santiago and Schurr two more practices — Thursday and Friday — and a scrimmage Saturday to stake their claim to replace four-year starter Trent Steelman.

"Right now, Angel has a slight lead, but it's very close," Shields said.

Santiago, who started one game as a freshman in 2011, entered training camp No. 2 on the depth chart behind Schurr. He's improved his passing and is Army's best running threat at quarterback in the triple option.

"Angel is playing well," Shields said. "There's no doubt about it. He's really grown and that should happen as a junior."

Schurr played in five games last season as a freshman and led Army with two touchdown passes. He's Army's smoothest operator of the option.

"He was set back a little physically going into camp" by summer military training, Shields said. "But, he's catching right back up and he's practiced very, very well. He scrimmaged well. He's reading the option well and he's throwing the ball well."

CBS Sports Network has added best-selling author John Feinstein, sideline reporter Kristine Leahy and analyst Tom Bradley, a former defensive coordinator at Penn State, to its coverage of five Army home games this season.

Feinstein, author of "A Civil War," which chronicled the 1995 Army and Navy seasons, will provide essays.

CBS Sports Network has scrapped using a cadet sideline reporter in favor of Leahy, who is a sports anchor in Boston and former Celtics sideline reporter.

Bradley replaces Randy Cross, who called Army games the past two seasons.